Previously, Lieberman and colleagues reported that 53% of active-duty soldiers report using dietary supplements more than once per week. The most common supplements used are multivitamin-mineral supplements (37.5%) followed by sports beverages (23%) and protein/amino acids (18.7%).

According to Knapik and colleagues, the prevalence of dietary supplement use varies among the services. The most elite military teams report the highest use of any dietary supplements (76%) and multivitamin-mineral supplements (37%).

Because soldiers have to perform under demanding circumstances, Dr Jonas indicated that the US military is systematically reviewing the scientific literature to determine if dietary supplementation could be a pragmatic means to help soldiers perform. The series of papers in Military Medicine is the outcome of the review. If evidence is found, Dr Jonas suggested the US military is willing to develop recommendations specific to military personnel.

Coulter I. The response of an Expert Panel to Nutritional Armor for the Warfighter: Can Omega-3 fatty acids enhance the stress resilience, wellness, and military performance? 2014 Military Med doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00189